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Review

2009
Mitsubishi
Raider Review

A solid midsize truck priced fairly within its class.

Reviewed by Automotive on
6/18/2009

Overview

The Raider is a pickup truck from the Japanese automaker Mitsubishi, which first debuted in 2005 in North America and was discontinued after the final model produced in 2009. The frame is based primarily on the Dodge Dakota, and the name actually came from the Dodge Raider SUV, which was discontinued in 1990. It is a midsize pickup and replaced Mitsubishi’s Mighty Max. The Raider was available as a two-door and a four-door, the two basic engines are the 3.7-liter V-6 and the 4.7-liter V-8, and available transmissions include four- and five-speed automatic models and a six-speed manual.

Sales for the Raider remained low throughout the lifetime of the vehicle. The first model year sold only 10 percent of the total models sold of the Dodge Dakota. At one point, dealerships had six months worth of Raiders sitting in the lot. Production was cut early nearly every model year due to low sales. The Raider’s best year was 2007, with 7479 models were sold. The final production year was 2009, and by 2010, only three models were sold, which is almost unheard of for any vehicle that is not a limited release.

Despite this, there are currently plans for a new and re-vamped version to be called the Street Raider. Release is still pending as well as details of the model’s features and engine.

If you like the more popular Dodge Dakota, there is no reason not to give the Raider a chance. Despite low sales, it is the same vehicle inside and out. The few who have purchased the Raider rate it very highly, more highly than many vehicles in its class. The top engine is fairly powerful, and very powerful for the price of a 210-horsepower vehicle getting 235 lb-ft of torque. Mitsubishi offers a five-year 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, excellent for any truck, the controls are simple and intuitive, it receives a very high safety rating, and it has an attractive body style, though fairly typical within the class.

What's New

Following extremely low sales in 2008 and Mitsubishi's history of more than disappointing sales figures every year the Raider was released, there were no changes to the 2009 models compared to the 2008 as they began phasing the vehicle out.

Exterior

The outside of the Mitsubishi Raider sports a typical midsize truck frame, with a few more curves than the Dakota on which it was based. The idea was to give the vehicle ""an aggressive street fighter look."" Standard exterior features include 16-inch wheels and 16-inch alloy wheels on the Double Cab. It is available in a range of color schemes.

Interior

One of the positive features of the 2009 Mitsubishi Raider is a simple control layout, which ensures everything is well within reach and easy to operate. Models come with a 40/20/40-split cloth covered front seat and the center seat folds down. There are not many standard features available with the 2009 Mitsubishi Raider: power windows and locks, a CD stereo, and air conditioning.

Performance & Handling

The 2009 Raider has a 210-horsepower 3.7-liter V-6 with six-speed manual or four-speed automatic, both with overdrive. It can put out 235 lb-ft of torque and handles relatively well compared to midsize pickup trucks in its class.

Safety

Safety features on the 2009 Mitsubishi Raider are somewhat limited. Standard features include latch child-seat anchors, three-point seat belt for the center seat, and front airbags. It lacks side-impact and side-curtain airbags, but scored a five-star safety rating despite this lack, due to a rigid frame.